There is no love lost between former teammates Kevin Durant and Kendrick Perkins.
This year’s Oklahoma City Thunder team are attempting to go one better than the 2012 squad that made the NBA Finals.
In 2012 OKC were led by a young Kevin Durant, James Harden and Russell Westbrook, eventually losing the finals to LeBron James‘ Miami Heat.
Also on the squad was veteran Kendrick Perkins, a champion with the Boston Celtics in 2008.
But claims of Perkins’ impact on the team differ.
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesKendrick Perkins launched defense of his role
After his role with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2012 came in for criticism from Kenyon Martin, Kendrick Perkins launched an impassioned defense, speaking on the Road Trippin’ podcast.
“I saw something where my name was brought up on another show,” Perkins began.
“I don’t mind being criticized or critiqued, but then Kenyon was like ‘Perk would be a liability’.
“Hold on one second brother. Liability. Let me give you some facts when it comes to throwing out that word liability.
“The Oklahoma City Thunder never went to the NBA Finals until Kendrick Perkins arrived on that team.
“They couldn’t get past the Lakers who had the twin towers of Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. That’s number one.
“In that finals run, Kendrick Perkins, the first round had the assignment of guarding Dirk Nowitzki, we swept them. One on one, pull up the tape, Dirk Nowitzki, had him frustrated, everything.
“Second round, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, go look at those numbers, go look at what they did, and what they didn’t do. They did absolutely nothing.
“Then you get to the Western Conference Finals, guess who had to guard the greatest power forward of all time, by himself, Kendrick Perkins.
“You can find the film of me guarding and locking up Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. Locking them up.”
Clearly proud of his impact in the team’s run, Perkins did concede that the 2025 Thunder side is superior. “This team that they have right now is better, they have more depth.”
Kevin Durant mocks Kendrick Perkins
Former teammate Kevin Durant has clashed with Kendrick Perkins multiple times, and he could not resist responding to his comments.
Durant quoted a clip on X, with the mocking comments: “The actual real MVP”.
Earlier this season Durant claimed it was ‘the craziest thing I’ve seen all week’, when Perkins said he was the leader of the Oklahoma City Thunder team in 2012.
And it’s fine for Perkins to be proud of his record with OKC. The truth is likely somewhere in-between the ‘liability’ and ‘lockdown defender’ claims – just don’t expect either side to budge from their beliefs at this point.